Contents Message from The PCCs of Humberside and South Yorkshire Police Statement from our Chief Constables Background and Introduction Sustainability Strategy Commitments Our Sustainability Commitments Sustainability Strategy Delivery Context and key drivers for change Legislation Underpinning themes Structure and Resources Terms of Reference The Strategy in Operation Corporate Governance Contact the Sustainability Team Message from the PCCs of Humberside and South Yorkshire Police Keith Hunter, PCC Humberside Police “The world is an ever smaller community with communications and travel becoming quicker and more accessible. Developed, developing and emerging nations all have a requirement for finite resources. Each of us has a responsibility and role to ensuring that we minimise our foot print wherever possible and use resources effectively and efficiently. We can all play our small part within the wider collective and for our mutual benefit. I fully support this strategy and urge you all to think about when and how you use resources of all kinds to engender a more sustainable future” Dr Alan Billings, PCC South Yorkshire Police In the context of global climate change and the need to move to a low carbon economy, we have to take action to reduce carbon emissions and increase environmental sustainability by constantly reviewing our operations and the use of buildings and materials. In addition, as leading public organisations with our duty to take action; we are ideally placed to make a significant difference by helping police officers and staff understand and engage with sustainability. We have established our objectives and targets in nine key areas of activity aimed at improving our performance, whilst continuing to engage and support our local communities and our people. Success will depend on everyone playing their part. Our “Sustainability Commitments” are endorsed and signed by our Chief Constables (as detailed on page 6) and we believe that the necessary organisational qualities and cultures exist to ensure targets will be reached and make a real difference. Background and Introduction Humberside and South Yorkshire Police have a longstanding commitment to the sustainability agenda and both Forces have demonstrated considerable performance improvements over the last five years. Humberside and South Yorkshire Police are significant local and regional employers whose actions have a large impact on the regional environment, the communities we support, and the people who work for us and with us. Both Forces acknowledge the need to improve our carbon footprint and care more for the environment, invest in and support our people, and promote a positive relationship between ourselves and our communities. We work locally, regionally and nationally with other Forces and partners to achieve best practice and drive progress and we are dedicated to embedding Sustainability throughout our operations to achieve further improvements. Working together, both Forces have developed a number of Strategic commitments: our joint Sustainability Statement, which is set out on the following page. Both Forces, therefore, share common aims and common approaches, allowing us to share ideas, knowledge and resources. Humberside and South Yorkshire Police recognise that we Sustainability have a corporate responsibility to act as a fair and Commitments supportive employer; to value our people and treat them with respect and promote equality; to enhance the lives of the communities we serve; and to protect the natural environment. We strive to embed sustainability within all levels of the organisation and we embrace the principles of sustainability by: Minimising our impact on the environment and continually improving; Educating, training and motivating Meeting environmental legal employees to work in a sustainable and requirements as a minimum; responsible manner; Maximising our positive impact on Taking part in the Business in the society; Community Yorkshire and the Humber Setting relevant, measurable Environmental Index and striving to sustainability objectives and targets, improve our performance year on year; reporting progress regularly; Seeking out good practice in other Encouraging our employees to integrate organisations and sharing our sustainability considerations into all we successes. do Our Sustainability Commitments We are committed to: Taking action to prevent pollution of air, water and land by understanding Pollution legislation and by acting responsibly. Prevention Saving energy and improving the efficiency of our buildings to reduce our carbon footprint. Energy Monitoring and conserving our water use and promote tap water not bottled water. Reducing the number of unnecessary Water car journeys, encouraging greener travel and maximising the efficiency Using our IT equipment in an of our fleet to reduce our carbon energy and resource efficient Transport footprint. manner. Maximising the efficiency of our IT equipment and investing IT in new technologies. Reducing, reusing and recycling as Investing in and enhancing the much waste as possible and dispose health and wellbeing of our people, of all waste in an environmentally Waste & through creating a supportive and responsible manner. Recycling People positive working environment. Monitoring the materials and products Engaging in positive ways with the used during daily business to communities we serve to enhance Materials & maximise resource efficiency. the relationship between the public Products Communities and the Force. Chief Constable Lee Freeman Chief Constable Stephen Watson Humberside Police South Yorkshire Police Sustainability Strategy Delivery Context and key drivers for change Over recent years both Forces have significantly improved their environmental performance, gradually reducing carbon emissions. These successes have been achieved through improvements across the estate and the use of vehicles with lower emissions. We are now at a stage where a more holistic approach to sustainability is necessary to achieve further benefits. In its most holistic definition, sustainability is the ability or capacity of something to be maintained or to sustain itself. Both Forces recognise the benefit of incorporating the support and enhancement of our people and communities into our sustainability activities, alongside the environment, in order to further promote and embed sustainable practises and work towards creating truly sustainable organisations for the future. This strategy aims to focus efforts in areas that offer the greatest potential return in environmental, people and community considerations. These areas have to be scrutinised in the context of also bringing about cultural and behavioural change. Legislation Amongst a range of global commitments and initiatives, The United Kingdom’s Climate Change Act, 2008, reinforced the need to improve carbon management and move towards a low-carbon economy. It set the first legally binding reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions of at least 34% by 2020 and at least 80% by 2050, against a 1990 baseline. There is also a wide range of environment related legislation which needs consideration for specific areas, from waste management to gas testing of appliances. Both Forces are committed to meeting environmental legal requirements as a minimum. Underpinning themes included within this Strategy include: Embedding our nine sustainability commitments within our workforce and working practices, to encourage and facilitate sustainable working practises. Creating a resource efficient culture to save time and resources, and help the policing sector play its part in reducing carbon emissions and costs. Delivering carbon and waste reductions through developing approved policies; and through integration with the capital investment framework. Setting milestones to measure progress against the police and public sector targets. Recognising and celebrating the ways our people go above and beyond to support our local communities, and supporting further engagement. Investing in and enhancing the health and wellbeing of our people, through creating a supportive and positive working environment. Sustainability Strategy Delivery Structure and Resources The intention of this Strategy is for all officers and staff of both Humberside and South Yorkshire Police to take personal responsibility for the impact of their actions. However, formal responsibilities are set out below: The Director of Finance, South Yorkshire Police is responsible for leading the Force on sustainability and is Chair of the Sustainability Forum. The Assistant Chief Officer (Support), Humberside Police is the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) lead nationally for Sustainability and is responsible for driving forward the environmental agenda through the National Police Estates Group and wider agenda with NPCC. The Head of Joint Estates and FM Services Humberside and South Yorkshire Police is responsible for ensuring the estate across both Forces embraces environmental and sustainability improvement principles through all aspects of Estates and Facilities Management. The Sustainability Manager, South Yorkshire Police and Environmental and Energy Officer, Humberside Police are responsible for leading the sustainability agenda throughout both Forces, implementing the strategy and bringing about practicable improvements in sustainability and environmental awareness and performance. Sustainability Strategy Delivery Structure and Resources (cont…) The Joint Sustainability Forum